A New Start
by edgeofwonderlust
Summary: Based on CP Coulter's Dalton. Senior year at Dalton, this year David finds himself going through his own self discovery, how to go own when the one he loved has left.  Luckily for him, he has his friends in Windsor and Kurt's new neighbor and Dobry lady.


A New Start

David glanced at his phone one more time, hoping that maybe just maybe the text would have vanished into thin air. He risked it and looked down again, nope still there.

From: Blaine

Are you coming to Kurt's party tonight? Come it'll be fun!

He didn't want to go to Kurt's party, it wasn't that he didn't like Kurt, or Blaine, the Tweedles, Dwight, Han, Drew, Satoru, Reed, Shane, and Wes. But how could he go out and party, when he knew that she wouldn't be there. Katherine. The girl he had loved for so long. The one he had given a ring too as soon as Hell Night was over, almost dying that night had given him some perspective. He went straight over to Katherine's room at the hospital, to give it to her.

A month. That's how long the fantasy lasted before finally she left him. Off to someplace better, where hopefully she wouldn't be in so much pain. That was four months ago. When he cried on Wes' shoulders at her funeral, Wes had practically carried him out.

A party didn't seem right. His six months of mourning weren't over yet. There wasn't a day when he didn't think about her, about them.

_**Beep**_

Another new text, this one from Wes.

From: Wes

I will be at your house in 10 minutes.

David sighed. It looks like Windsor was hell bound to get him to Kurt's end of summer bash whether he liked it or not.

"Blaine Warbler that is not where I told you to put the cooler!" Kurt was at the end of his ropes and the party hadn't even begun.

"Kurt, calm down. You know no matter where I put the cooler, it will be moved by the end of night. You are having all the Windsor's over and everyone from New Directions over and your neighbor umm…what's her name again?"

"Brook, Blaine! Brook!"

"Hey, hey," Blaine left the cooler and made his way over to Kurt, who had his hands massaging wither side of his temples. "Your party is going to fabulous, you are the best party planner and it will all be fine and if it isn't I will personally kick everyone out and you and I can cuddle and watch Evita, okay?" He grabbed Kurt's hands and held them in his own.

Kurt released the breath he had been holding in, "Your right. Why are you always so dapper and calm? I'm worried about everything, but mostly I'm worried about David. I haven't even seen him since school got out and Wes said that he has only seen him once! "

"I'm worried too, Wes said when he went over all they did was play Xbox in his room with minimal talking and every time someone got shot in the game David would wince"

"Ugh Blaine…"

"I know, I know. But at least he's coming tonight, that's progress. It's been four months he'll come out fine. Now we need to finish putting up all these decorations before Warblers and ND's and the one girl descend."

"Brook! Honestly I've spent most of the summer with my new neighbor the southern belle and you can't even remember her name."

"Darling I was at Six Flags remember?"

An hour later and the party was in full swing everyone had come and the mingling was incredible. Wes, Mike, and Shane were killing Dance Dance Revolution. The Tweedles were testing Rachel's vocal abilities daring her to go higher and higher while Han caught the whole thing on video ("The next viral video I swear!"). Reed and Kurt were judging everyone's outfits ("So nice to see everyone out of uniform"). Blaine, Puck, Finn, Sam, and Dwight were playing football in the backyard, well actually Dwight was sprinkling rock salt all around the perimeter of Kurt's backyard. And the girls of New Directions were playing Never Ever around the table.

"You look like your havin' jus bout as much fun as me and that's as much as chasing down a pig in the mud is," The unannounced girl took a seat next to David on the bottom step of the front staircase.

David glanced at her, "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"I'm Brook by the way."

"David."

"So uh how do you know Kurtie?"

"Kurtie? Well we go to school together and his boyfriend is one of my best friends."

"Oh I see. If you don't mind me askin but why the heck are ya sitting on the stairs by your lonesome?"

"Just not in the party mood, haven't been for a long time."

"Me too. Just got my schoolin' information all settled and Ma and Dad decided to send me to the all girls school, Dobry. Who wants to go to an all girls school?"

David smiled recognizing the same attitude he had when he parents decided to send him to Dalton. "It's not so bad. Dobry is Dalton's sister school, Dalton's where uh 'Kurtie' and I go."

"Oh I got you. Well I better go looks like they bout to start another round of karaoke. I swear I think ya'll are the best group of singers around, but ain't none of ya got anything on me."

"Maybe I should go too, pretend to be participating to get Wes of my back. Do you sing?"

"Damn straight I sing everything and anything, and 'fore ya ask yes I do sing country but Kurtie over the summer has gotten me into Top 40 and some Broadway stuff too. Do you sing?"

David had to laugh, this little girl had so much damn confidence and laughing felt good. When was the last time he had laughed? "I do sing but Blaine, over there" he pointed to Blaine getting slapped on the back by Finn, "he's our lead. I do the background vocals."

They had reached the makeshift stage Kurt had set up and was announcing, "Now my new little southern belle will sing, and watch out. I've been teaching her." Everyone laughed.

"Well David it was nice talking to ya. Maybe I'll see ya later or you could get up and sing." She walked off and got up on stage.

"Hi er'body. My name's Brook an' I'm Kurtie's next door neighbor. Tonight I'm gonna sing some of my home girl Taylor. Play it Kurtie!"

_The way you move is like a full on the rainstorm and I'm a house of cards. You're the kind of reckless that should send me running but I kind of know I wont get burned. And you stood there in front of me just close enough to touch close enough to hope you couldn't see what I was thinking of. Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain, kiss me on the sidewalk take away the pain, cause I've seen sparks fly whenever your around. _

Damn she was good, David thought, the little Southern belle was on her game. David let himself get into, he was smiling and for once he wasn't sad.

_Its just wrong enough to make you feel right. _

Everyone was getting into it. Reed and Shane were being adorably cute mouthing the words to one another, Kurt and Blaine were holding hands with Blaine singing the lyrics to Kurt, everyone it seemed had couple up, their own fireworks happening. The song ended and she bowed. David glanced around at all the couple being cutesy and touchy feely and suddenly it hit him. She should have been here. They could've been touching foreheads and whispering sweet nothings to each other. He couldn't take it, so he ran.

Wes saw him run, he broke away from Santana who he was dancing with. Platonically of course, the feisty Latina only had eyes for Brittany. He apologized and went to find David. He found him sitting on the porch, softly crying to himself. He waited a moment before letting his presence be known.

"Hey," he sat down next to him.

Silence greeted him.

"David, c'mon. Talk to me please. You can tell me anything you know that. Is it Katherine?"

" It's not fair-" He choked out between sobs now unguarded around his oldest friend, "Why did she have to go? It wasn't her time Wes…" he let his body fall into his friends and be comforted.

"I know buddy I know. We all miss her. She was a bright light," he paused, "Remember that time she broke into Windsor because she was bored and we were all sleeping so she started baking muffins for when we woke up and she accidently set off the fire alarm?"

David's sobs subsided and he smiled through the tears, "Yeah, she was so crazy. Before… you know-" Wes nodded, "She made me go dance in the rain with her just so she could live out her Notebook-esque fantasy."

Wes laughed, "You came back to Windsor so wet and said it was worth it even a week later when you were as sick as a dog."

"Why did she have to leave?"

"She fixed you David, it was time for her to move on."

The friends sat there in silent agreement to just sit there until David was ready as they sat they heard Rachel and Kurt revive their mash-up 'Happy Times and Get Happy' ,Blaine sing 'The One That Got Away', and the Tweedles 'Bulletproof'. Finally David gathered himself and stood up, "Thanks Wes."

"I always got your back, just don't shut me out."

They walked in together just as the Tweedles started bowing and blowing kisses. Blaine walked over to them, "Hey you two where have you been? I was thinking we should perform as the trio yes?"

Wes said looking from David to Blaine and back again, "Um Blaine I don't know if-"

"I think we should," David cut in.

"Are you sure?" Wes asked.

"Why not? I need to smile."

"Let's go fellas!" Blaine walked over to the stage, Wes and David following.

"Alright alright people, my Dad said everybody's out by midnight. So this is the last performance of the night. My adorable boyfriend and the amazing dancer Wes and the ever so talented David!" Kurt introduced them as they entered the stage.

"Hey guys, so we decided to perform a little tween bopper group for all of you, so here is 'Count On You'"

Blaine started off the song, "_Now I'm about to give you my heart but remember this one thing I never been in love before so you gotta go easy on me_. "

David then came in _," I heard love is dangerous, once you fall you never get enough but the thought of you leaving ain't so easy for me_."

Then all three came in on the chorus: _Don't hurt me, desert me, don't give up on me_ (David: _What would I want to do that for?_) _don't use me, take advantage of me, make me sorry I ever counted on you. _

David_: I really hope you understand, I'm trusting you with loving me, I've never been so vulnerable._

Everyone stared as they finished out the song. David had sung before but he had never really sang before. Even Blaine and Wes, who thought they knew what he was capable of looked at him in amazement. All at once everyone started clapping and catcalling for encore. The trio stepped down from the stage. After getting their congrats the crowd started to dwindle down, David and Wes found themselves among the last to leave, as they bid their goodbyes to Blaine, Kurt and Finn, expressing their regrets to Finn about the night he was sure to have. As they walked down Kurt's driveway, David spotted Brook rounding to corner.

He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Hey Brook!"

Wes immediately pulled down his arms, "David have you lost your mind this is a residential neighborhood at almost 1 am."

Brook turned around and walked to the best friends, "Hey David and friend of David whose name is?"

"Wes, nice to meet you," he extended his hand in true dapper Dalton gentlemanly fashion.

"Same Wes. David you did great up there on that stage I'm glad you finally got off those stairs and joined the party!"

"I could say the same for you, you are a great singer."

"Well what can I say? Us Southern belles know how to bring down the roof, all those bonfires on the farm."

"Well I guess I'll see you around."

"Sure will. Kurtie and I are to be back and forth at Dalton and Dobry so much."

"Bye Brook."

"Yea it was nice to meet you Brook."

"You too Wes. Goodnight boys," and with that she turned on her cowboy boot heel and walked away.

"She is very unusual," Wes remarked.

"You can say that again, I was sitting on the stairs you know having a down moment putting off the don't-come-near-me-or-I'll-shoot vibe and she just walked up and sat down and talked."

"Huh, her Southern-ness perhaps?"

"Yea…" David paused, "Thanks for dragging me out here Wes. Besides the mopping at the beginning and the breakdown in the middle it was nice."

Wes slapped his back, "Your not getting rid of me yet crazy pants."

"Yeah okay whatever. Let's go. "

The rest of the summer passed relatively quickly. David wasn't going out every night but he made sure he saw plenty of his friends before their returns for their senior year at Dalton. And before soon, move in day had arrived. David was one of the last to arrive with his parents. Soon he was moved back in with Wes in the room they had shared ever since Wes transferred into Windsor; this was home. But this time the giant corkboard that they had covered the walls in didn't have any pictures of him and Katherine, or any of her Chemo appointment dates, or movie stubs from their dates. He only kept one picture on the bed post of his four poster.

Wes came up behind him while he was taping it on, "She would want you to be happy, to live your last year to the fullest."

"I know, its- its just hard." Wes gave him a sympathetic smile.

"I think its time you had this," Wes went over to his bed and pulled a envelope, "She gave me this to give to you when the moment came and you had dragged it out long enough, her words not mine."

David took the envelope and held it only looking at it.

"Open it, its not going to bite. I'm going to go monitor Kurt and Blaine, you know make sure they keep it PG, don't forget we have an assembly at 5 okay?"

David nodded, knowing the Sunday opening night assembly was traditional before the first of school. Wes walked out and David shifted the envelope in his hands.

Man up David you can do this, he thought to himself. He found himself ripping it open, he began reading.

_Dear David,_

_If your reading this then it means I have passed. Hopefully God willing I'm looking down on you and not up. Just kidding… laugh David, I know your rolling your eyes at me. Wes was instructed to give this to you when the time had come to stop moping and start enjoying your life again. I know you, its probably September or October and your still grieving. I don't want you to grieve anymore. I heard once, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." So smile David you have such a bright and beautiful smile. We had what most people dream of having, we were lucky. Our love was beautiful. I have loved you since the day I met you, my handsome prince and then the accident and well here's something you probably didn't know. I thought you would leave me, who would want to be with a sick girl. But you stayed and remained my prince. Forgive me for thinking that you would leave? It was silly I know that now. Do you remember the first time we dance together, when you spun me out and when I came back to you, you whispered I love you for the first time. _

_David, I will love you forever and ever. But find someone else. The jealous me is dying right now. But its true, don't sit around and just wait. Go and live your life, do everything we talked about and find someone to do it with. She'll be the second luckiest girl in the world. I'm the first because I got the chance to love you first. _

_Be happy David,_

_Love you,_

_Katherine_

He wiped the single tear from his eye and breathed out, "Woah…" He had to sit there for a while just thinking and looking back at their time together. Even when she got sick, they hadn't stopped having a good time together. He put the letter back in the envelope and tucked it under his bed. It was a quarter to five and he needed to book it to the assembly if he wanted to make it on time.

He walked in the assembly hall and was shocked. When you looked around, you saw not only the Dalton red and blue but also the maroon and blue of Dobry Hall. He quickly found his friends talking to a few of their friends from Dobry, Spencer Bancroft's little sister Laura was talking defensive strategies with Dwight and Wes, Blaine, and Kurt were hovering around the Southern belle, he had met at Kurt's party. The Tweedles were off in the back talking to the twin talking flowers from Dobry. He walked up to Wes' group and the attention was on him as the newcomer and gave a hi and then Brook said " Howdy David, do you know what this is all about?"

"No idea, but I have a feeling we are about to find out."

Headmaster Ramsey and the Headmaster of Dobry stood together at the podium. Ramsey continued, "If you all could please take a seat we will begin the assembly."

The Dalton boys made to move into their respective sections, divided by house but again Ramsey's voice cut in, "Gentlemen do not worry about sitting with your house just take the seats that are closest to you." The boys glanced at one another, they always sat with their houses; no intermingling.

Never the less they did as they were told and took a seat. David took the aisle seat, Brook next to him and Wes next to her; David glanced down the aisle and the one behind him, just taking it all in. Kurt and Blaine, Reed and Shane, Han, Dwight, the Tweedles, Laura, Satoru and Drew, they were his little family. He took a deep breath and faced forward.

"Psssst David…." He heard coming from his left, "Don't be so uptight, its probably not a big announcement."

He smiled at Brook and glanced at her from the corner of his eye, "Yeah your right nothing too major."

Headmaster Ramsey started, "Well welcome back students! I think I speak for myself and for Headmaster Jameson when we say that we are glad you are back and we look forward to having a great year. That being said as most of you know in light of events that occurred in past year," almost every head turned to look at where Julian Larson sat, David saw him visibly shrink down in his seat then saw Logan put his arm around Julian smiling at him, "we have had to make changes. Hence why our sister school Dobry is here as well. Welcome ladies. Which brings me to our announcement…Dalton and Dobry will no longer be single gender schools, we will as of tomorrow be one school," amazement and confusement danced across every students face, "The two campuses will now be as one school, classes will be held in both schools for both genders, meals will be held in Dalton hall on which an addition will be added. The dormitory's will remain the same: Windsor, Stuart, Hanover, Prima, and Royal. All activities will now be shared between the two schools open to all."

At this point David took the time to survey his friends reactions, they were mostly all the same an open mouth look of wonder. He took sometime to figure out how he felt about now going to a co-ed school. There would be certain pros and cons, he was sure; but in total he thought it was going to be a good idea he and his friends already spent so much time going over to Dobry as is and they did the same and in Spring usually his group and the girls would meet halfway and hangout and picnic. He felt a tap on the shoulder, Wes peered around Brook's back and gave him a thumbs up and mouthed, "This is gonna be awesome!" He smiled in return, turning to the front.

Both Headmasters looked around surveying their students reactions. There seemed to be no strong oppostions, so they continued, "We hope that we can re-adjust and be flexible with this situation and sort of roll with the punches. We are still schools of tradition and the dapper young gentleman and gracious young lady will always be valued and still be expected of each and every one of you. All of you are now dismissed for dinner in Dalton hall. Prefects please stay behind and pick up your housemates schedules."

Most students left the hall, the Windsor group and ladies of Prima left Blaine and Sara, the new prefects now that Charlie and Hope had gone off to college, together of course, to pick up their new schedules as they proceeded into Dalton hall for dinner. As soon as they sat down the table was abuzz with questions? Will the teachers favor the girls or the boys? Would there now be pressure to perform? Would they have issues focusing now that there would girls/boys in the classroom with them?

The table went silent until Brook broke in, "What are ya'll talking about? You talk like you guys have never gone to school with the opposite gender in ya life. Up till high school everyone was co-ed right?" Nods were given all across the table, "Well then now is not the time to start being all nervous and paranoid bout what it'll do to us. If anything it'll make us all closer, cause now we'll have classes to bond over and activities and I have ta say. I'm mighty excited to combine the Dobry and Dalton choirs. If Dalton went to Regionals last year imagine how far we could go together."

He looked at Wes, Brook was right and now that he and Wes were seniors and leaders of the Warblers with Thad, they would be in charge of this, making sure the two groups intermingled.

"I think it's great," Blaine said, "our group will be so versatile. We can still have our Warbler tone but now we can add a bit more vocals, instead of depending on one voice alone."

"But White Rabbit-"

"-Your forget all of our-"

"Decisions must also go through Harvey-"

"And Medel," The twins took turns explaining. The twins soon engaged everyone at the table in a tale of their summer adventures abroad and the foreign talking flowers that they had encountered. Dwight and Laura however took turns whispering to each other. David glanced at the boy and girl, so alike it was scary.

"What are you staring at?"

"Oh nothing, just Dwight and Laura, they make an interesting couple you know."

"Yeah. Hey David would you mind walking me back to Prima? Lord knows ya'll have tuckered me out."

"Sure Brook," they both got up from the table excusing themselves.

"Brook," Kurt called, "Are you still coming over tomorrow afternoon, for your make-over?"

"Course Kurtie," she blew a kiss at him.

"Hey no flirting with my man," Blaine joked.

"Oh Blaine, you have him anyways I'm done with all you men kind. Goodnight er'body," she waved to everyone and so did David, who had finished bro-hugging Wes.

They walked out of Dalton hall and into the September night, with lingering pleasantness from summer. The rounded the first corner, "So," David began, "What did you mean when you said you were done with men? Switching teams? I mean not that would be a bad thing because Dalton and I'm sure Dobry have zero tolerance bullying policies. But you didn't come off as-"

"Geez David give a girl time to answer will ya? I don't play for the other team. It's just before I moved up here to Lima, I got out of a long term relationship that went sour at the end and I'm definitely not looking for a relationship any time soon you know? It's funny how one person has such a great influence on your life and the way you view certain things. But its like no matter how bad things got when you were with them, it still felt somewhat right, like fate was intervening. But I guess there is a time for everyone to show their true colors and a time when fate has to give way to reason."

David was silent and then responded, "Relationships suck," he laughed bitterly, "you become like one with this person and then poof they are gone in flash it's like joke. Like God giving you your soul mate on loan."

"Someone ruin love for you too?"

"Yeah something like that…Well here we are!"

"Thanks for walking me here. I just get freaked walking by myself in the dark and am a little scared after hearing everything that happened last year."

"No problem Brook. I'm glad you asked."

"Yeah me too. You're a really good listener David and really easy to talk to."

"I try. Well I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yeah later David," she smiled at him and stepped inside the Prima Dormitory.

David turned around, and put his hands in his pockets and walked back to Windsor. He and Brook had a lot in common, happy being single, previous significant others who were no longer in the picture. And she was nice and she was a good advice giver. Maybe this change into a co-ed school wouldn't be so bad. Now that he that thought about it he had never really taken the time to get to know the girls of Dobry; he'd really only spent time with Katherine and after the accident, he didn't have a reason to go over to the dormitories, he just went over to hospital. He let out a sigh, no matter where his thoughts started they always went to her, always. He reached the door of Windsor and let himself in, walking up the stairs he heard a loud bang from the kitchen he called out, "Blaine put the fire extinguisher under the sink." He heard a lot of clanging and a few choice words coming from Satoru's mouth before Drew called out, "Thanks David." He smiled to himself and continued his way up the stairs. The first door he passed was the Tweedles he heard silence which might have scared him but it was Sunday so he knew they were probably Skype signing with Audrey. The next door on the left was Blaine and Shane's, he heard the two brothers arguing about poster placement. Down the hall he passed Dwight and Todd's room he noted the fresh rock salt line outside the door. Beyond that was Kurt and Reed, they were dueting on the classic diva duet 'Enough is Enough'. He opened the door to his and Wes' room and found Wes lounging on his bed looking up at the galaxy of stars that they mapped out with the glow in the dark stars they put on the ceiling freshman year.

"Hey," Wes called out.

"Whatcha looking at?"

"The stars, well you know our artificial stars."

"I think they are real enough."

"David will you still hang out with me when I have to go off and be a mob boss?"

David stared at him, "Of course, the fact that you are going to be a mob boss will not detract me from being your friend."

Wes turned and smiled at him, "Thanks, I know its still a ways off but I think about it all the time."

"Wes, we are always going to be friends. Okay? You've been dealing with all my sad emotional ups and downs lately, so telling you that we are going to be always going to be friends is not a big deal. "

Wes smiled, "Wells its true you have been like a girl PMS'ing a lot lately."

David grinned, "I promise PMS'ing David is done with," he glanced at the photo he had taped and thought _she would want it that way_.


End file.
